Police target unlicensed drivers

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT), Mark Langlois and John Pirro

Published 1:00 am, Sunday, April 9, 2006

THE NEWS-TIMES

One by one, the cars pulled up to the roadblock at Main and Patch streets in Danbury. Drivers rolled down their windows and came face to face with a police officer.
"We weren't targeting anybody. Everybody was asked the same questions," Danbury Sgt.
Michael Sturdevant
said.
Just like at most checkpoints, police were on the lookout for drunk drivers. But last weekend they also focused on another problem - people driving without valid licenses.
And they found them by the dozens. Of the 75 people cited for violations over two nights, 47 were caught driving without licenses.
"That's just one checkpoint and one weekend. How many are out there that we haven't caught?" asked Danbury police spokesman Lt. Thomas Michael.
How many indeed?
Though Danbury police didn't track exact numbers until this year, the number of unlicensed drivers seems to be growing.
In the first three months of 2006, Danbury police charged 315 people for driving without a license. That number doesn't include the 47 cited during last weekend's checkpoint operation.
Those who are caught without licenses pay a fine of $158. Many of them also pay $100 or so in towing charges, because police officers won't let unlicensed drivers behind the wheel again.
However, police officials, business leaders, insurance agents and others say that there are other costs. Unlicensed motorists are usually uninsured.
And if an uninsured driver hits your car, it can cost you all sorts of grief - and money. You might have to pay $500 or $1,000 deductible to fix your car before your own insurance kicks in. Additionally, your insurance rates could go up because you made a claim on your policy.
"It's a huge problem," said

Charles Trombetta
, an agent with Allstate Insurance in Danbury since 1978.
Stephen Bull
, president of the
Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce
, had two car accidents involving unlicensed, uninsured, drivers. "There's no recourse. There is no one to sue," said Bull, who suffered a neck injury in one accident. "It's costing businesses and people billions of dollars."
Common Council member
Tom Saadi
, who also had his car run into by an unlicensed driver, said he's been working since last year to get a handle on the scope of the problem.
"It's a little bit slippery," Saadi said. "It's a difficult issue. I think one way to solve this problem is by going after them with more checkpoints."
Some people are unlicensed because they have been suspended for drunk driving or other violations. Some have failed to convert their out-of-state licenses to Connecticut licenses in the required time period. But police say their impression is that many of the people driving without valid licenses - and insurance - are undocumented immigrants.
It's not just an increase in the immigrant population that's leading to the rise in unlicensed drivers. It's also changes in federal and state law meant to make it harder to get licenses in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
"Once the Real ID Act of 2005 became law, federal law specifically limited those who can receive licenses," said state Rep.
Robert Godfrey
, D-Danbury. "Federal law specifically prohibits Connecticut from giving licenses to residents who are not legal" immigrants.
A number of people believe the anti-terrorism laws are having unintended side-effects. Immigrants unable to get licenses are not registering their vehicles, costing the state money. They also are not buying insurance or cars, which hurts businesses that cater to the immigrant community.
These laws are "for national security, but the people they're hurting is the working people," said
Renata Amaral
, co-owner of RM Insurance Services of Danbury. Last year, Amaral estimated half of her business evaporated with the stricter licensing rules. "They're still driving, but now they're not buying insurance."
Vin Surendran
, owner of Danbury Automotive, a repair shop and used car dealership, said last year that he was losing business as well. "We're selling fewer cars," Surendran said. "There must be a solution to our problem that isn't at the expense of national security."
Drivers without licenses are a growing nationwide problem, said insurance industry experts.
Bill Wilson
, a research specialist with the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, said the most recent figures he saw for Connecticut indicated that 9 percent of the state's drivers don't have licenses. Wilson said the national figure is 14 percent.
"Many states have wrestled with this issue," Alldredge said.
He said the insurance industry is divided on the issue. Some insurers argue that everyone who drives a car should be permitted to get a license. That at least ensures motorists have some driving skills and know the rules of the road, Alldredge said.
On the other hand, Alldredge said, some argue that giving a driver's license to someone in the country illegally gives them legitimacy they haven't earned.
Then there is the concern that easy access to licenses is an invitation to foreign terrorists, who use the licenses to obtain other documents and items that enable them to carry out their plots.
But for the most part, unlicensed drivers are more of a problem at the local level. Danbury police say it's not unusual for an officer to arrive at an accident scene to find that neither driver has a valid license - or insurance.
And that can put more beat up - and possibly unsafe - cars on the road. The uninsured drivers often can't afford to get their cars fixed after accidents.
Even some insured drivers drive around in junkers after crashes with uninsured motorists. Body shop owners say customers see how big their deductible payment would be and opt not to get repair work done.
"That happens especially if there is no insurance involved," said
Mike Regan
, manager of the
Car-Land Auto
body shop in Danbury.
In any case, the rash of uninsured drivers is keeping Danbury police busy. During the first quarter of 2006, they made about 1,440 arrests in criminal and motor vehicle cases. Unlicensed operators made up nearly 25 percent of the cases.
"There certainly is a risk when you're driving that you could be hit by an unlicensed and uninsured operator," said Michael, the police spokesman. "It's a risk here as it is everywhere."